blenmekonnen

Ethiopia

Blen Mekonnen, who goes by Blén, is an Ethiopian R&B singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Addis Ababa, she grew up listening to Gigi (Ejegayew Shebabaw), Zeritu Kebede, and Eyob Mekonnen and draws on these influences alongside influences from the west such as Lauryn Hill, H.E.R. and Jhené Aiko to create a fusion of Amharic music and R&B. In 2012, Blén released her first single at the age of 13, together with former DC-based producer Kenny Allen. Since then, she has worked with multiple producers such as Maars, Nati Turner and Zemas, and has released a number of singles. Blén is currently working on her first album, which is expected to be released in 2022.